I have a senior insurance service plan for added discounts on dental, eyes,pets,car rentals, and hotels. I am on a fixed income and have to try and use all advantage discounts I have available to me. This was bought with my supplemental medicare insurance. Not the problem.

I called Avis to reserve a car for Xmas 2010 travel, one of the four auto rental companies in the above plan and the only company in my area. Once I finally connected to reserve with Avis my call was sent to a third party company as if it were part of the car rental call.

This third party comes on line and informs one of an additional gas coupon to be sent along with a 30 day trial period membership for $1.00 which can be cancelled at any time in the 30 days or during the membership period. It offers all types of discounts to travel, shop, reserve hotels, etc. and it cost $1.00 per month. In order to complete the call, which is confusing as you are not certain to hang up and keep your reservation reserved for the car rental, one has to agree to this membership.

I agreed with the intent of getting the $20.00 gas card from Avis, and the $40.00 gas card from this company then cancell during the trail period and to get off the phone. (This call lasted over an hour) I have yet to receive my gas card from either company and the date today is 2/2/2011. In my opinion that was a waste of valuable time.

I finally get the membership card with information about the other services within a few days of the cancellation period of the trail basis. I call to cancell, and this rep continues to sell me additional services and to keep this membership. After 5 minutes he accepts the fact that I am cancelling for many reasons. I get a cancellation reference number and told I will no longer be charged. I am given a trial period date of 2/6/2011 for the trial period duration which I can still use my membership with no problem. But this place does not complete the information to cancell this membership in total.

I check my bank account on 1/31/2011 to find a charge for $16.99 and I have not used my bank card for 2 weeks or expected any further charges to be deducted from my account automatically. I learn my account has been charged for an overdraft fee, and a transfer fee. I call the number on the bank listing to find it is to "Travelers Advantage" (the company I cancelled 10 days ago, and confirmed it.) The rep tells me that my account indicates it is no longer active and has been cancelled. He checks with the supervisor who informs him this charge is from "Shoppers Advantage" and they are not part of "Travelers Advantage." I am told to call Shoppers.

I call "Shoppers Advantage" where I am told by this rep I have to speak to another department and transferred. This new rep comes on and I inform him I want to cancell my membership and have this charge of $16.99 reversed from my checking account. It took 4 more times of telling this man I am not interested. I don't travel enough to need this membership. I am not interested in shopping discounts, as I don't shop at the stores they list, and in general I am not interested in paying $16.99 for a discount, that cost me to get. This call took another 5 minutes and after telling him the first time should have been enough.

Beware of these third party companies and these with additional companies tailgating to the membership because one gets cancelled and you get another charge to call and these people are trained to sell you this account again, in addition to other services. It is all a scam. If one wants a discount there are plenty of sites to contact for discounts and options to buy. I am disturbed with the fact that "Travelers Advantage" did not inform me on the date I cancelled with them, of needing to call and cancel with their sister company "Shoppers Advantage" or forward the cancellation to cost me money and time.

This cancel with "Shoppers Advantage" will take 48 hours to enter the system and the reverse or refund will be in 7 to 10 business days to follow. Believe me I will be checking my account on a daily basis for the next 3 weeks to make certain this was done. As I said I have enough to pay for on a fixed income of Disability Social Security which our president does not feel to increase, I am not able to support foreign companies for these fee's and never use.

Great Comment! Would You Like to Convert It Into Review?

Terms of Service

I love how you wanted to use the company for free stuff and them complain that the company hires people to try to retain you.

Beware of trying to scam a company, they might scam back

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nanalette

nanaletteFeb 21, 2011Waddell, Arizona, United States#251332

I would cancel the travelers advantage and request a confirmation number with the rep's name (make them spell it for you).Then request the number to "Shoppers Advantage" which you will have to call and cancel with them as well.

Again get a confirm number, name and make them spell it. I did get my $16.99 back within 8 days, so I can say they at least kept their word on that much. Don't cancel bank account. My bank allows ahead of time notice and will block that payment if it has not been credited before you call.

You might check with your bank for such as well, it did not cost me anything.

I wish you the best and sorry you got suckered like me.;)

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Anonymous

HIFeb 19, 2011#250873

***.I am so scared I am still in my trial period and am going to call to cancel travelers advantage on Monday.Any advise?

do you know if there is a way to cancel for sure?should I cancel my bank account?